The present disclosure relates to sheet feed devices that feed sheets, and image forming apparatuses that includes the sheet feed devices.
To date, as sheet feed devices that feed sheets, those devices which are mounted to an image forming apparatus are known. The sheet feed device includes a sheet cassette detachably mounted to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus, a pickup roller located in the apparatus body, a sheet feed roller, and a retard roller. The sheet cassette accommodates sheets. And with rotation of the pickup roller, the sheets are fed in the sheet conveying direction.
The sheets fed by the pickup roller are conveyed into a fed-sheet nip portion which is formed with a sheet feed roller and a retard roller. With a rotation of the sheet feed roller, the sheets are further conveyed downstream in the sheet conveying direction.
An image forming apparatus known to date is structured such that a sheet conveying path extends along the sheet cassette mounting direction inside the apparatus body.